6 Safety Tips for Nighttime Pedestrians in Northern Colorado

Whether you're going out for a nighttime run around Windsor Lake, or walking home from the bars in Old Town, it's important to take all safety measures when you're in a vulnerable position as such.

Below are some great safety tips that all Northern Colorado pedestrians (and even cyclists) should take into consideration when traveling outside at night to prevent robberies, assault, injury, and even death.

1

Wear bright, visible colors.

Wearing black or dark colors is one of the worst things Northern Colorado residents can wear when walking around outside at night. That's not to say your little black dress you wore at the Rec Room is unacceptable (because it probably looks totally fetch on you). However, wearing lighter colors will make you more visible to vehicles, or even cyclists, that aren't paying attention to what's in their way.

Black, brown, and dark blue or green are not recommended as safe colors to wear at night, says Active.com. If you're out for a run, consider wearing reflective clothing (even one of those bight yellow or orange vests - HOT!). Reflective dog leashes/harnesses are also something to look into if you jog with your pet.

2

Travel against traffic.

Facing traffic gives drivers AND yourself a clear view of who or what is in your immediate environment. Women's Running says this is perfect for when/if you need to make any "last-minute maneuvers."

This is an especially great tip for roads with curves, like South Lemay Avenue between Horsetooth and Harmony, where drivers are often blinded by the winding road and hills leading up to the Landings neighborhood.

3

Travel in well-lit areas.

Northern Colorado has so many beautiful trails for us to run, bike, and walk along. Unfortunately, not all of them are well-lit.

The Power Trail is one offender - it's a fun and popular trail to take, as it runs behind several major neighborhoods in southeast Fort Collins. But aside from street lamps on Horsetooth and Drake, it's not lit anywhere else.

Try to avoid trails like that and opt for well-list sidewalks instead.

4

Have your cell phone on hand, and make sure it's charged.

It seems like a no-brainer that everyone has their cell phone with them at all times. While this is most likely true, I can't tell you how many times I've personally had my phone with me...but it had less than 10% battery life.

No matter what area of Northern Colorado you're in, if you're out with friends, try to find a way to keep your phone charged just enough to where, if you need to dial 911 or a friend to have them pick you up, you have enough battery life to make that phone call.

Many phones also have built-in flash lights, and these would come in handy for those areas you might come across that aren't well-lit.

Never go alone.

Don't wear headphones.

When you wear headphones any time of the day while traveling on foot, you could be masking certain sounds that could indicate danger - for you.

A train, a speeding car, an attacker running up behind you - all of these can be heard if you are not wearing headphones. So just take them off. By not listening to music as a pedestrian, you could be saving your life.